On December 7, a strategic session entitled “Epoxy Resins: Industry Development Drivers” was held on the basis of the Chemical Industry Committee of the Business Association “Delovaya Rossiya”. The event was aimed at discussing problems on the way to arrange modern production of this product and generate certain proposals for their overcoming.

The discussion held in a mixed format was moderated by Mikhail Sutyaginsky, the Head of the Chemical Industry Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AO GC Titan.

The strategic session was attended by Aleksandr Mazhuga, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Science and Higher Education of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Academic Advisor of D. I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Ilya Vorotyntsev, Acting Rector of D. I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, specialists from the industry-specific research centres - D. I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia and Plastics Institute named after Petrov JSC, members of Delovaya Rossiya and invited experts from enterprises - consumers and producers of epoxy resins.

According to the data presented by tD. I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, the current Russian epoxy resin market is estimated at 11 billion roubles per year, and it will continue to grow. Not only basic, but also special grades of resins are in demand in Russia, and the domestic market is dominated by imported producers - from Germany, Korea and China. The committee's July 2021 scientific and practical conference in Omsk resulted in a list of pull-out projects in low-tonnage chemistry including epoxy resins as well.

The demand for basic and special epoxy resins at the event was discussed by representatives of electrical manufacturing industry, transport engineering, producers of polymer composite materials for various purposes and experts of paint and varnish industry, where by the way consumption of epoxy binders is constantly increasing and 98% thereof is imported. Companies are ready to assess their annual product requirements, ranging from a few tonnes for low-tonnage companies to hundreds of tonnes for medium-sized business.

The meeting participants considered the chemical production chains and defined the factors hindering the development of epoxy resin production. The industry development is hampered not only by the lack of basic raw materials for epoxy resins production, but also by the lack of domestic production of critical hardeners, thinning agents and special additives. Environmental aspects influence as well - it is necessary to recycle wastewater and solve the problem of recycling materials produced on the basis of epoxy resins. According to those present, the lack of systematic support measures, the bureaucratic nature of some procedures and, most importantly, the lack of information among enterprises about opportunities available to each other, make it difficult to implement new projects.

The founder of the GC Titan, Mikhail Sutyaginsky, has confirmed once again the Group's intention to establish production of both raw material components and particularly the epoxy resins.

“We are in charge of this topic, we are preparing a master plan, we are in process to determine the licensor," he explained. - First of all, we need to define the consolidated consumption potential of key epoxy resins - what types, volume and at what price Russian consumers are ready to purchase, and that's why we have addressed the scientific community and industry enterprises by means of the committee.”

Following the meeting, a protocol will be drafted to include the proposals made at the event. The Chemical Industry Committee has also taken the initiative to collect proposals for support measures optimising and analysing future promising areas of low- and medium-tonnage chemistry.

The next meeting of the Committee to follow up on the results of the year 2021 will be held on 15 December.

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